Constructive criticism needed!

[FRIZ]

Hi everybody:

Here is a list of attachments and tasks I want to do with the JD 4720 I plan to buy. Your constructive criticism is very much appreciated. Thank you.

First some background information:

I bought 78 acres of land. The land is in the NW Indiana, mostly flat a few slight elevations.

Most of it is wooded, approximately 10 acres are meadow.
Three ponds: 1.5 acre, 1+ acre and 0.5 acre, all with trees and grass around them. The house has also trees and grass around it.
Approximately 800 yards of gravel road.
Approximately 1 mile of hiking trail.

I have to clear the approximately 800 yards gravel road from snow. I am planning to order an Erskine rear pull snow blower, and to keep my loader (with heavy-duty 61-in bucket) on for additional help with the snow.

Mow the 10 acres of meadow with an rotary cutter. MX6 or MX7 what do you recommend?

I have approximately 800 yards of gravel road to maintain. Therefore a Box Blades - BB2184 or BB 1184 what do you recommend?

Wood-chipper (WC1105) and Ramsplitter Log Splitters I will use to maintain the woods and make firewood. The Debris Grapple Bucket 60-in (AL1560H) I will use to move debris out of the woods and the Pallet Forks 48-in (AL1240F) will be handy for moving limbs.

R1 or R4 tires: What do you recommend?

Later this year we plan to add a JD x749 (with mower deck) to cut grass around the house and pond. (Or maybe a Kubota B3030, air-conditioned cab, no mosquito bites?

Please share you insights.

Thank you,
Regards,
FRIZ

 

[orlo]

Friz:

Good choice on a tractor. I don't have a lot to say on the rotary cutter other than an MX6 is BIG cutter. The RC series and the old LX series were lighter duty. The MX series is built very heavy. I have an LX5 (60") on my 3720.

For the wood splitter I'd consider a splitfire one. I (and others here) have them and they are great. The wedge moves and their are two anvils so you can split on both directions of the
stroke, thus twice as fast. You can also get a 4 way wedge that splits into 4 pieces in each direction.

On the 4720 you probably want to go with the 72" HD bucket. If it were a 3720 I'd go with the 61" (What I have) but the 4720 should easily handle a 72" HD bucket.


Other than that I think all your choices are pretty decent.

 

[jenkinsph]

FRIZ,

I would go with the MX6 or MX8 with the two point hitch (for lack of the right terminology) since these two can be handled by the 4720. If you have trees too close together for an eight ft cutter to pass between then stick with the MX6. The MX7 is very heavy, you can probably handle it with the loader on but it is cumbersome.

If you are sure to buy a lawn mower then I think you may be better off with R1 tires, I have R4s' on mine though, kind of all purpose.

I would go with a 72" HD bucket, skip the 61" it won't cover the tracks on the 4720.

As suggested by others get a landscape rake and forks they are both very useful.

For the boxblade I would consider a good fixed box for about $1200 to 1500 as a maximum cost for most people. I have the heavy duty 7' with hydraulic scarifier toothbar but I see it is listed for $4600 now and think that is ridiculous.

Can't comment on the chipper or splitter.



Steve

 

[jdbower]

Do you have any other plans for the X749? If it's just going to be a mower, you may also want to look at a Z-Trak (perhaps a Z520A?). It would be cheaper and many like mowing with a ZTR over a riding mower much better (faster, easier, etc.).

On the other hand, the X749 is like a very small CUT. If you think you'll end up decking it out as a baby brother for the 4720 you can also look into a 2305 which is only slightly larger, but runs on diesel like the 4720 and would be a much better choice if you think you'll need a smaller general purpose tractor rather than a dedicated mower.

You can also check out Curtis Cabs if you decide you want mosquito protection, but for me in the frigid northlands mowing outside is one of life's pleasures.

 

[RickB]

My only comment is you should insist on R-1 tires for the stated uses. You may come under dealer pressure to accept R-4's as they are far more common, but please resist.

 

[Nuru]

Do you have any other plans for the X749? If it's just going to be a mower, you may also want to look at a Z-Trak (perhaps a Z520A?). It would be cheaper and many like mowing with a ZTR over a riding mower much better (faster, easier, etc.).

On the other hand, the X749 is like a very small CUT. If you think you'll end up decking it out as a baby brother for the 4720 you can also look into a 2305 which is only slightly larger, but runs on diesel like the 4720 and would be a much better choice if you think you'll need a smaller general purpose tractor rather than a dedicated mower.

You can also check out Curtis Cabs if you decide you want mosquito protection, but for me in the frigid northlands mowing outside is one of life's pleasures.

Oh it was very cold in the New England area when I was there. I wanted to get a cab so bad but could not afford it until after I left that area.

 

[ddivinia]

Hi everybody:

Here is a list of attachments and tasks I want to do with the JD 4720 I plan to buy. Your constructive criticism is very much appreciated. Thank you.

First some background information:

I bought 78 acres of land. The land is in the NW Indiana, mostly flat a few slight elevations.

Most of it is wooded, approximately 10 acres are meadow.
Three ponds: 1.5 acre, 1+ acre and 0.5 acre, all with trees and grass around them. The house has also trees and grass around it.
Approximately 800 yards of gravel road.
Approximately 1 mile of hiking trail.

I have to clear the approximately 800 yards gravel road from snow. I am planning to order an Erskine rear pull snow blower, and to keep my loader (with heavy-duty 61-in bucket) on for additional help with the snow.

Mow the 10 acres of meadow with an rotary cutter. MX6 or MX7 what do you recommend?

I have approximately 800 yards of gravel road to maintain. Therefore a Box Blades - BB2184 or BB 1184 what do you recommend?

Wood-chipper (WC1105) and Ramsplitter Log Splitters I will use to maintain the woods and make firewood. The Debris Grapple Bucket 60-in (AL1560H) I will use to move debris out of the woods and the Pallet Forks 48-in (AL1240F) will be handy for moving limbs.

R1 or R4 tires: What do you recommend?

Later this year we plan to add a JD x749 (with mower deck) to cut grass around the house and pond. (Or maybe a Kubota B3030, air-conditioned cab, no mosquito bites?

Please share you insights.

Thank you,
Regards,
FRIZ

R1 tires if you don't plan on running it on your yard much. The tractor and cleaning capability of the R1s over the R4s is huge.

If you are going to be in tight spots - you will want a MX-6.

Do you plan on hauling the trailer - that will help determine how large a mower you want. I have a trailer with rails, so I stuck with a 6'.

Another consideration is what kind of trees do you have? A wider mower MX-7, MX-8 would stick out enough for you to get close but not smack your tractor.

Grapple Bucket (open sides)

48" pallet forks - you need to look at floating tines vs. fixed. I went floating myself.

Box Blade - somewhat of the same question as the mower. How much wider than the tractor do you want. Do you need to haul it, etc.

One major consideration in my book on the boxblade - get a welded top, NOT a bolted one. It is not if but when it will shift and you will want to weld it up anyway. Floating tailgate is nice. Hydraulic sacrificers drives the price up in a hurry. I bought a new frontier last year, I will have to look up the model number.

I would look at a zero turn mower for the yard. There are lots of them on the market to consider.

Since you are getting a cab tractor. Depending on how wet your yard gets and the type of turf - you might consider a rear mounted finishing mower to cut your yard, etc. You would have one less machine to maintain and have AC, etc. I would get R4 tires in that case. I have R4s on my 4520 cab and they work fine except in mud. I don't stuck, but they sure ball up bad.

Other things to consider:
Telescopic draft links
Work lights
Rear Wiper
Wheel Weights
Post hole digger?
Valve on the rear
Plumbing on the loader for a 3rd valve
Air ride seat
Tooth bar on bucket

I am sure missed something, but there ya go.

D.

 

[ddivinia]

I pulled up my inventory. Maybe this info will help

Frontier forks: AL1348F

Frontier Landscape Rake: LR1172

Old Frontier boxblade- (would not buy it again) BB2072

New Frontier Box Blade BB1184 - I think it is the bargain of the bunch. I had to have one as soon as they announced it - I have serial Number 3!

Chipper - Bearcat 73554

Grapple: John Deere 1830MM

Frontier Post Hole Digger: PHD300 with 9" auger

D.

 

[BarryinMN]

Fine machine spec

It deserves the finest tires: Radial Michelin Agribib R1 or R1W - works a little better in mud.

Keep the dirt bucket but add a larger 6'-7' snow bucket for rapid clearing. It will allow the machine to stand off to the side for better visibility.

Think about ballast - wheel weights, and a skid plate.

With all of Deere marketing savvy they do a poor job of communicating available options and configurations. Sit down with the dealers order book and go through it line by line and pull out those cheap, obscure, but essential items that will make ownership a pleasure vs a pain.

If you dont have a backhoe now is the time. It makes life easier on the operator and loader when confronting hard pack soils.

 

[AKfish]

The suggestions pretty well cover all the bases...

However, I'd offer a couple of variations to consider - instead of the MX-6 rotary cutter - check out a good 7' flail mower. They can be offset to one side of your tractor to mow the edges of your ponds without getting the tractor too close and they do a good job on grass as well as small brush (up to 2").

There's alot of info here and discussions of the pros and cons of the rotary mowers vs a flail mower.

You might also consider a rear blade vs a box blade, too. I have found that maintaining my 350' of driveway and parking areas is much easier with a blade than a box blade. For me, the learning curve with the box was more aggravation than I wanted... And of course, if money is no object - the hydraulic angle blades with offset, etc. are the cat's pajamas!!

AKfish